Archive for February, 2017

Hope all is well with you and yours. I wanted to let you know that I finally found Jennie Kerner on a New York census!!

The 1930 census, Brooklyn, Kings County, ED # 1170, page 20A has the following:Jennie Kerner, age 71, head of household, widow, born in NY, father born in England, mother born in ScotlandMae Kerner, daughter, age 31, single, occupation – bookkeeper

Also, for 1930 census, .Brooklyn, Kings County, ED 925, page 15A:Ruffus Creen, age 43, single, occupation – elevator operator, Ruffus was roomer in household of Oliver Orlando (note-according to this census, Rufus was born in NY, father born in Ireland, mother born in Ireland)

Also 1930 census, Brooklyn, Kings County, ED # 1700, NY, page 12B,**Alice T. Kellam, age 55, widow, head of household, born in NY
Albert J. Kellam, son, age 32, born in NY, occupation – salesman at newspaper
***Frank P. Brady, age 38, son-in-law, born in NY, occupation – accountant
Alice Brady, age 38, daughter
Frank Brady, age 8, grandson
Robert E. Griebe, age 33, son-in-law (no occupation listed)
Ethel M. Griebe, daughter, age 30
Robert E. Griebe, Jr, age 3, grandson*Kate Dunnigan, Aunt, age 85, born in Ireland, both parents born in Ireland
(Note that Mary (Dundon) O’Donnell has probably died by the time of the 1930 census)

*Who could this aunt be? I cannot find her in the 1930 index, name could be Danegan, Dennigan, Donnegan, etc.
**I believe this is Alice Fay O’Donnell, the children are the same from 1900 and 1920 census.
***Frank P. Brady is the name listed by ancestry.com in its 1930 index. The actual name on the census looks like Brisly, Brisdy to me?

The Welsh and Irish Celts have been found to be the genetic blood-brothers of Basques, scientists have revealed.The gene patterns of the three races passed down through the male line are all “strikingly similar”, researchers concluded.

Ethnic links: Many races share common bonds

Basques can trace their roots back to the Stone Age and are one of Europe’s most distinct people, fiercely proud of their ancestry and traditions.The research adds to previous studies which have suggested a possible link between the Celts and Basques, dating back tens of thousands of years.

“The project started with our trying to assess whether the Vikings made an important genetic contribution to the population of Orkney,” Professor David Goldstein of University College London (UCL) told BBC News.

‘Statistically indistinguishable’

He and his colleagues looked at Y-chromosomes, passed from father to son, of Celtic and Norwegian populations. They found them to be quite different.

“But we also noticed that there’s something quite striking about the Celtic populations, and that is that there’s not a lot of genetic variation on the Y-chromosome,” he said.

To try to work out where the Celtic population originally came from, the team from UCL, the University of Oxford and the University of California at Davis also looked at Basques.

“On the Y-chromosome the Celtic populations turn out to be statistically indistinguishable from the Basques,” Professor Goldstein said.

Pre-farming Europe

The comparison was made because Basques are thought by most experts to be very similar to the people who lived in Europe before the advent of farming.

Genetic tests have identified key gene groups

“We conclude that both of these populations are reflecting pre-farming Europe,” he said.Professor Goldstein’s team looked at the genetic profiles of 88 individuals from Anglesey, North Wales, 146 from Ireland with Irish Gaelic surnames, and 50 Basques.

“We know of no other study that provides direct evidence of a close relationship in the paternal heritage of the Basque- and the Celtic-speaking populations of Britain,” the team write in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Viking TV

But it is still unclear whether the link is specific to the Celts and the Basques, or whether they are both simply the closest surviving relatives of the early population of Europe.

What is clear is that the Neolithic Celts took women from outside their community. When the scientists looked at female genetic patterns as well, they found evidence of genetic material from northern Europe.

This influence helped even out some of the genetic differences between the Celts and their Northern European neighbours.

The work was carried out in connection with a BBC television programme on the Vikings.

I found some of the information on Balldearg O’Donnell from Vincent
O’Donnells Spring 1986 issue of O’Donnell Abu. Balldearg (Hugh) O’Donnell
had the hereditary mark of the O’Donnell Clann, a red spot (this is what
Balldearg means in Gaelic apparently). Follows is my transcription of
Vincent’s writings from 1986 along with my personal note to him:

“Balldearg” means a red spot about the size of a thumb-print which may be
found on any part of the body but usually on the back. It is recognised as
the hereditary mark of a ‘true’ or ‘real’ O’Donnell. It is often called
“Balldearbhtha na nDalach”, meaning the ‘distinguishing or genuine mark of
the O’Donnells’. In the Rosses area of Donegal, those possessing it are
said to belong to the main line of the Clann. Whie the “Balldearg” is
hereditary to the house of Larkfield, it is not uncommon among Rosses
families.

Although born in Ireland, Hugh went into the Spanish Service at an early age
and was known as ‘Earl of Tyrconnell’ abroad.

At the outbreak of the Williamite wars he desired to return to Ireland but
permission was refused as England was then an ally of Spain. Balldearg,
therefore, left Spain without licence, reaching Cork four days after the
Battle of the Boyne where he met the fleeing King James of Kinsale who
recommended him to Talbot, Lord Lieutenant and Commander-to-Chief. The
Irish immediately rallied to O’Donnell. This alarmed Talbot as he feared
the setting up of an independent command. Talbot, allowing jealousy rather
than common sense to prevail, assigned Balldearg, an experienced soldier to
the menial task of protecting the herds and followers who marched with the
army. With the failure of the Jacobite cause, Balldearg found himslef
without either country or fortune. He was very dissatisifed with the
treatment he received since his return to Ireland. Inducements were handed
out to him by Ginkel. Ballldearg, realising his position and being a
professional soldier, accepted and was given a commission in the English
army later to be followed by a pension. He fought in several campaigners on
the Continent. On where he was apparently pardoned. He re-entered the
Spanish Army and rose to the rank of major General. He died without issue
c. 1703/4.

Note to Vincent O’Donnell: Hello Vincent! I hope you are reading this. I
found this newletter with my father’s things after he passed away. He kept
every single one of your newsletters. I believe there is no better way of
leaving one’s mark on the world than that of the written word.

I read in your most recent newsletter than you will no longer be publishing
the O’Donnell Abu newsletter after the next few issues are out. I for one
am sorry to learn of this. I (and I am sure many others are) am grateful
for your extraordinary efforts over the years and I am proud to have every
issue of your newsletter. It is invaluable to those studying the O’Donnell
family.

Luckily my father kept this issue and had written my name outside a
parenthesis mark he made around Balldearg and his birthmark (is says, “Sue?”
on it). I have a large cluster of red spots on my right upper arm. I have
been often told by the unknowing observer that is looks like someone
“grabbed” be on my arm and left their handprint. It is a large red
birthmark and my mother wanted to have it removed when I was a young girl.
I wasn’t too keen on this idea. I am now glad I didn’t have it removed (it
would be possible in today’s world but I like my red spots!).

MARY HARRIGAN O’DONNELL (a BIG MYSTERY) – My great grandmother. She died four days after her last child was born and the wonder was, why didn’t all four boys die as well? Was it a murder or suicide?
She died a horrid death and it was investigated. An autopsy was performed and the cause of death was asphyxia due to gas poisoning. Details of medical examiner’s report not included. No personal information was provided or known to the county medical examiner. She was buried in a pauper’s grave at the County Farm on Feb 5, 1914 by the Dept. of Public Charities.

I would like to find out more about her family. I have a father as John Harrigan but no mother. Her husband listed no parents! Which is weird as a John Harrigan lived next door or very nearby, but he may not be related-
Children are Edwin, Lester (my grandfather), James, LeRoy.

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Source Information:
Census Place New York, New York (Manhattan), New York City-Greater,
New York
Family History Library Film 1254872
NA Film Number T9-0872
Page Number 511D

I have been, of late, reading your O’Donnell’s The very first time you posted, I got the shivers with a sort of faint feeling in my head. The given names in your O’Donnell family line are so similar to mine– –the James O’Donnell, the Michael O’Donnell and even the Aunt Lottie.

My Great Grandfather Michael C. O’Donnell is from Clonmore, County Tipperary born in 1830 . I do not know who his parents were nor do I know who his siblings were…this is a real damper. I believe he immigrated via Liverpool to New York in 1849 but he could just as easily came through Canada & into New York. I say this because several O’Donnells in this family have married women from around Peterboro, Ontario, Canada.

My Great Grandmother was Catherine Jones a daughter of Robert Jones and Briget McCann (this later is questionable as I only found it in one place, albeit the only place.)

Robert Jones was definitely in Peterboro, Canada, at some time. Though I can’t put him there, I can put two of his daughters there. Little is found about Robert Jones or his wife.

The children of Michael C O’Donnell were Mary, John, Thomas, Isabelle, Catherine, Michael, William, Alice, Arthur, Rose, James plus three who died at birth or as infants. I am a great Granddaughter of Michael C. O’Donnell via his son James Aloysius O’Donnell and his daughter (my mother Lenila J O’Donnell).

I get a “kinship” feeling when reading your reports, perhaps, and I hope so, have some relation.

In 1922, following the Treaty with Great Britain, Ireland, the island, was partioned.
The six north eastern counties, Antrim, Down, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Derry, and
Armagh, remained under British rule and the remaining 26 counties formed
what was then known as the Irish Free State (Eire ). In 1948, the then
Taoiseach (Prime Minister) John A Costello, declared a Republic, the Republic
of Ireland. Yes Donegal is in the Republic, formerly the Irish Free State.